What is an Emission Inventory?

Roles of an emission inventory

 Given the current rapid rate of economic development in East Asia and the degradation of air
quality in the future likely to result from this, it becomes necessary to make use of all the
scientific tools available for the management of the atmospheric environment. One of these
tools is the air pollutant emission inventory.
 What quantities of air pollutants are emitted and where do they come from? The best way to
answer these questions is to prepare an air pollutant emission inventory. Emission inventories
are now regarded as indispensable tools for a wide range of environmental measures such as
management of chemicals as well as the prevention of air pollution.

Fig. 1 Roles of the emission inventory for air quality management

 An emission inventory can be utilized for the following purposes.

◎ Quantitative understanding of actual emissions

 The quantitative emissions estimates provided by an inventory promote a better understanding of the actual
emissions and help to raise the awareness of both policy makers and the general public. Through this process, the
major emission sources can be identified, priorities for emission reduction defined and any data gaps requiring
further work are revealed.

02 What is an Emission Inventory ?

 Fig. 2 Examples of application of an emission inventory

◎ Use for modeling activity

 Emissions data allocated geographically and temporally can be used as input data for atmospheric transport and
deposition models. The resulting air concentration and deposition estimates obtained by modeling, after verification
with monitoring data on the ground and/or data from satellite observations, will be important information for air
quality management decision-making. Further useful information can be provided by estimates of the likely adverse
impacts (to humans, animals, crops and natural ecosystems), which may be assessed from the modeled deposition
and concentration of pollutants.

◎ Use for future projections and setting of targets

 A current emission inventory can be used as the basis for estimating future emissions according to projected
likely changes in socio-economic indices (e.g. population growth, economic growth, changes in energy use per unit
activity), lower emission factors (e.g. by introduction of better control measures), fuel switching and so forth.
Estimated future emissions provide important information for setting emissions targets.

◎ Use for the consideration of possible reduction measures

 An emission inventory enables the likely effects of introducing various prevention and control measures within
different source sectors to be assessed and compared, both now and in the future. Combined with knowledge of
costs of the different options, this also enables the most cost-effective emission reduction measures to be identified.

◎ Use for planning of policy and measures and their follow-up

 Emission inventory data can be regarded as an index similar to the various indices used for gauging changes in
economic activity. The trend of such an index allows us to judge whether we should introduce or reinforce
regulations, economic measures or technical measures to control air pollutant emissions.

◎ Cooperation in preparing inventories in East Asia

 Analyses based on emission inventories and atmospheric transport modeling are crucial when dealing with long-
range transport of air pollutants. Such analyses would be made easier and more fruitful if the methodologies used
were harmonized across all countries in a region. Cooperation in preparing inventories also could promote capacity
building in the measurement of emissions, developing emission factors and on the use of inventories and models.
The resulting increased capacity will contribute to the development of pollution control strategies in each country
leading to a reduction in transboundary air pollution.

What is an Emission Inventory ? 03

 Emission sources of air pollutants in inventories

 The emission sources of air pollutants are divided into anthropogenic (human-made) and
natural sources.

Anthropogenic sources Natural sources

Energy Ocean
○Power plants
○Industrial boilers Lightning
Forest fire

○Vehicles,ship,airplanes etc.
○Commercial / Instituional Volcanic activities
○Residential

Industrial process etc.

Agriculture

Waste etc.

Examples of air pollutants considered in inventories: SO2, NOx, VOCs, NH3, CO, BC, OC, PM10, Hg, etc.

Fig. 3 Conceptual scheme showing emission sources of air pollutants

 Burning of fossil fuels is often the most important emission source. On the other hand, in Asia
sources such as the domestic use of biomass fuel and incineration of agricultural residues are
also very important. Emissions from vehicles are also increasingly important since vehicle use
is growing rapidly in most Asian countries.

04 What is an Emission Inventory ?

 Method for developing inventories

 In general, anthropogenic emissions of air pollutants are estimated by the following basic
formula for each source, when it is difficult to measure it directly.

Emission = Emission Factor x Activity Data

Examples:

・SOx emission per the amount of fuel burnt, calculated based on the
sulfur content of fuel, the sulfur retained in the ash and the reduction
achieved by emission control technology (fuel combustion)
・NOx emission per distance (exhaust gas emissions from vehicles)
・SOx emission per the amount of copper smelted (copper smelting)
・the amount of fuel burnt (fuel combustion)
・the distance of vehicle travelled (exhaust gas
emissions from vehicles)
・the rates of the production of the commodity
(industrial process without combustion)

◎ Emission factors
 Emission factors are the average rate of emission of a pollutant per unit of activity data for a given sector.
 When there is no emission factor reflecting the actual local situation, default values in manuals are used.
However, if the default factor is considered to be inappropriate, it is preferable to obtain an emission factor that
reflects the real situation by direct measurement.
 The rates of reduction and propagation of technical measures have to be reflected in the factor or the formula,
because introduction of countermeasures reduces the emission.

◎ Activity Data
 Activity data give a measure of the scale of activity causing the emissions.
 The necessary data basically can be collected from statistics and surveys

Inventory Manuals

This manual provides suggested methods for estimating emissions of air pollutants such as
EMEP/CORINAIR
SO2, NOx, NMVOC, CH4, NH3 and CO. It is applied for reporting the national inventory
Atmospheric Emission Inventory
Guidebook under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP).

IPCC This manual provides suggested methods for estimating emissions of the 6 direct
（Intergovernmental Panel on greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, SF6) as well as the precursors, NOx, CO,
Climate Change） NMVOC and SO2. It is applied for reporting national inventories under the UNFCCC and
Guidelines Kyoto Protocol.

This manual has been prepared by the Stockholm Environment Institute under a UNDP
UNDP/UN DESA and UN DESA project for transboundary air pollution for Northeast Asia. The types of air
Manual pollutant emissions covered are SOx, NOx, NMVOCs, CO, NH3, PM10 and PM2.5.

The Global Atmospheric
Pollution Forum Air
Pollutant Emissions
Inventory Manual
The Forum manual was based on a similar manual being applied within the
MaleDeclaration
´ countries of South Asia which, in turn, grew out of the above
UNDP/UN DESA manual. The Forum manual also covers emissions of SOx, NOx,
NMVOCs, CO, NH3, PM10 and PM2.5 and is suitable for use by developing countries
in any region of the world. An Excel-based workbook accompanies this manual.

What is an Emission Inventory ? 05

 Reporting of inventories

 For instance, under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, reporting of
emissions is implemented based on the emission reporting guidelines as shown below.

○National emission inventories should be transparent, consistent, comparable, complete and accurate. (3)
Principles
○Emission estimates should be prepared using the applicable methodologies agreed upon. (4)

○Each Party must report on emissions for the base year and every year starting with the year of entry into force. (9)
Scope ○Parties should report projected activity data and projected national total emissions for the years 2010, 2015 and 2020. (10)

○Parties should use the Guidebook to estimate emissions. (11)

○It is preferable that each Party should use its own national emission factors. (13)
Methods ○The Task Force regularly updates the Guidebook. (14)
○Where the methodology has changed, each Party should recalculate all inventory data to ensure consistency of the time series. (15)

○For every fifth year, each Party should report total and sectoral emissions for the EMEP grid squares. (22)
○For the year 2000 and every fifth year, Parties should provide the data on large point sources (type of source, latitude, longitude,
 emission quantities and effective chimney height). (23)
Reporting
○Each Party should use the reporting format and submit the information preferably in electronic form. (34)
○Parties are encouraged to submit an informative inventory report. (38)
○Each Party should publish their emission data and inventory reports. (39)

Numbers in parentheses indicate the paragraph numbers.

Source: United Nations / Economic Commission for Europe (2003), Emission Reporting Guidelines

Emission inventories in Asia and the World

RAINS・GAINS ACESS
 This database is developed by International Institute for  ACESS is developed by Argonne National Laboratory to
Applied System Analysis (IIASA) to estimate emission of support the Aerosol Characterization Experiments and
air pollutants including greenhouse gases. Transport and Chemical evolution over the Pacific

EDGAR Experiments.
 EDGAR database is developed by National Institute for
REAS
Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) to estimate
 REAS is developed by Frontier Research Center for
emission of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Global Change and National Institute for Environmental
GEIA Studies to understand the role of trace constituents in the
 As part of International Geosphere - Biosphere atmosphere.
Programme (IGBP), GEIA has been developing
EA-Grid
inventories of global gas and aerosol emissions.
 EA-Grid is developed by the Ministry of the
LTP Environment in Japan to understand transboundary air
 LTP is a joint research program among China, Japan pollutants in Northeast Asia.
and Korea. Its purpose is the monitoring/modeling of Air
pollutants to improve understanding of transboundary air
pollutants in Northeast Asia.

06 What is an Emission Inventory ?

 Although some countries in East Asia has prepared inventories, the detailed information they
contain is difficult to share in the region because 1) they are prepared only for a domestic use , 2)
the tasks are divided among different departments such as domestic affairs, international
cooperation, and human health-related departments and 3) there is no reporting system for such
inventories.

Substances targeted by inventories

China
Japan
R.of Korea

Main characteristics of inventories

What is an Emission Inventory ? 07

 Conclusion
 In Europe and North America, a methodology for preparing emission inventories of air pollutants
has been developed within the framework of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air
Pollution (CLRTAP). This methodology has also been used by many counties to compile their
greenhouse gas emission inventories. Discussions on the hemispheric transport of air pollutants are
also starting to include the application of emission inventories and atmospheric transport models.
 In East Asia, governments and researchers have prepared several emission inventories including
global ones. However, a harmonized system to compile inventories that are transparent and
comparable enough to be agreed among East Asian countries has not yet been established.
 In order to deepen an understanding of the state of regional air pollution in East Asia and develop
capabilities of the countries on atmospheric environmental management, it will be necessary to
establish such a system in which inventories can be improved continuously in cooperation with
administrative agencies and inventory experts in East Asia.
 Experience elsewhere has demonstrated the importance of cooperation for enhancing capacity in
the preparation of inventories within all countries of a region.
 Understanding and awareness about the urgent need for good quality emission inventories also
need to be promoted in East Asia. It is intended that this pamphlet will assist in this process.

Web sites of relevant manuals and inventories

◎Ministry of the Environment of Japan

◎Cooperation: Acid Deposition and Oxidant Research Center (ADORC)
Mitsubishi-UFJ Research & Consulting
Tomoyuki Aizawa, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)
Hajime Akimoto, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
Toshimasa Ohara, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)
Akiyoshi Kannari, Independent Rseacher
Kiyoto Tanabe, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
Hideaki Nakane, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)
Toshihiko Masui, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)
Harry Vallack, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)

Printed on 100 percent recycled paper. Printed by Prime Station Corp in March 2007

08 What is an Emission Inventory ?